Walking Aid

ABSTRACT

A walking aid comprising a shaft and a handle that, as viewed in a position of use of the walking aid, is disposed at an upper end of the shaft, the handle extending transverse to the shaft. The handle is inclined upwardly at an angle to the axis of the shaft. The handle is curved inwardly out of a plane formed by the handle and the shaft and toward the body of a user of the walking aid. When configured for right hand use, the handle is twisted clockwise, and when configured for left hand use, the handle is twisted in a counterclockwise direction.

The present invention relates to a walking aid for people whose ability to move due to age or illness, for example after hip joint or knee joint surgery, is limited. Generally, for people handicapped in this manner also the forces that have to be expended for walking and supporting the body weight are adversely affected, for example due to weakening of the muscles. Therefore, the configuration of the walking aid is of particular significance to the extent that the forces that are to be transferred while walking are to be effective with a minimum of fatigue and as free from pain as possible, even over a longer period of time. With most walking aids, these demands are not fulfilled at all or only in an unsatisfactory manner. The known handle shapes correspond to the manufacturing possibilities, whereby the handle is generally oriented such that its longitudinal axis extends in a plane with the axis of the shaft.

Although the anatomy of the hand is approached with a curved configuration of the handle having an approximately S shape, an anatomical configuration of the individuality of the person is not satisfied. Although this type of handle configuration may be optimal for some people, this is not true for other people. The pressure exerted upon the musculature of the hand and arm is then not optimal, so that in particular the pressure exerted upon the wrist and base of the thumb can lead to pain and rapid fatigue.

This also applies to other known handle configurations (DE 690 097 51 T2), where the handle is inclined at an angle of at least 15° relative to the axis of the shaft, and is adapted to the anatomy of the hand.

For an anatomical handle configuration; an individual handle would have to be provided for each person that is impacted, which is, of course, not possible for cost reasons.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a walking aid that enables an optimum distribution of force between hand and handle without requiring an individual handle configuration for each user.

Proceeding from a walking aid that is comprised of a shaft and a handle disposed at the upper end of the shaft approximately transverse thereto, and that is inclined upwardly at an angle relative to the axis of the shaft, the stated object is realized pursuant to the invention in that the rear end of the handle is bent inwardly toward the body of the person carrying the walking aid out of the plane formed by the shaft and the handle, and in that the handle of the walking aid is twisted in a clockwise direction for the right hand, and the handle of the walking aid is twisted in a counterclockwise direction for the left hand.

The present invention intentionally deviates from anatomical handle configurations, and instead is directed to an ergonomic, biodynamic configuration of the handle, whereby the inventive features form the best possible shape of the support for the concave inner line of the hand, and the handle represents the optimum inner hand support and offers an excellent relief of the gripping tendon. The security of the user is increased, since the handle fulfills the desired individuality of the support function while at the same time providing relief (care) of the wrist, the ligaments and tendons of the lower arm. The inventive walking aid therefore represents a true aid, also eliminating insecurity while walking.

Pursuant to one embodiment of the invention, the radius of the inward curvature of the handle is between 300 and 320 mm, preferably 310 mm, which leads to a stress-free position of the base of the thumb.

Pursuant to a further embodiment of the invention, the twist extends over an angular range of the handle of about 35° to about 85°.

The angle between the axis of the shaft and the upwardly inclined handle is preferably between 100° and 120°, preferably 110°.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the upper end of the shaft with the inventive handle disposed thereon in

-   -   a) side view,     -   b) front view,     -   c) rear view,     -   d) bottom view, and     -   e) top view;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the upper end of the shaft with the inventive handle mounted thereon, and also shows the sections taken along the lines (A-A, B-B, C-C, D-D, E-E and F-F);

FIG. 3 are isometric illustrations of the upper end of the shaft, with the inventive handle disposed thereon, from seven different viewing directions.

FIG. 1 shows a handle 1 of an inventively embodied walking aid; the handle is disposed at the upper end of a shaft 2. Although, as illustrated, the handle can be an integral constituent of the shaft 2, it can also be connected to the shaft 2 as a separate component. The side view in FIG. 1 a shows that the handle 1 is inclined upwardly relative to the shaft 2 at an angle α that should be between 100° and 120°. An angle of 110° has proven to be particularly advantageous.

As shown in particular in the bottom view 1 d and the top view 1 e, the handle 1 is curved slightly inwardly toward the free end, starting approximately at the shaft 2. FIG. 1 shows a walking aid that is to be grasped by the right hand, so that the inward curvature is directed toward the body of the user. The radius of curvature R is between 300 and 320 mm. Tests have shown that a radius of curvature of 310 mm is perceived as being particularly agreeable by the user. In this connection, the width of the handle 1 increases slightly toward the free end from the shaft 2; in the illustrated embodiment, this increase is from about 30 mm to about 38 mm. The same applies for the non-illustrated, mirror-image embodiment of a walking aid that is to be grasped by the left hand. The inward projection A of the handle 1 is approximately 22 mm when the overall length B of the handle 1 is approximately 110 mm.

Pursuant to the invention, the handle 1 is furthermore twisted. With the embodiment for the right hand of a user illustrated in FIG. 2, the twist is in a clockwise direction. Here, with the aid of six, spaced-apart cross-sections, a particularly advantageous shape is shown that is approximately oval and resembles a loaf of bread, whereby the flattened side essentially serves as a rest or contact for the fingers, as can be best seen from the cross-section C-C. However, the cross-sectional shape is not limited to the illustrated example; rather, it can also be round, quadratic with rounded corners, and also approximately triangular with rounded sides and corners. A bulging configuration of the flattened side is also possible. The same twist is provided with a handle 1 that is to be grasped by the left hand of the user, but in a counterclockwise direction. The twist advantageously covers an angular range of about 35° to about 85°.

The configuration of the twist of the illustrated embodiment is best shown in FIG. 3, in which the upper end of the shaft 2 with the handle 1 of the inventive walking aid is illustrated in seven isometric views from various viewing directions. 

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A walking aid, comprising: a shaft (2); and a handle (1) that, as viewed in a position of use of said walking aid, is disposed at an upper end of said shaft (2), wherein said handle (1) extends roughly transverse to said shaft (2), further wherein said handle is inclined upwardly at an angle (FIG. 1 a) to an axis of said shaft (2), further wherein said handle (1) is curved inwardly (A, FIGS. 1 b, 1 e) out of a plane formed by said handle (1) and said shaft (2) and toward the body of a user of said walking aid, further wherein said handle (1), when configured for right hand use, is twisted in a clockwise direction (FIG. 3), and wherein said handle (1), when configured for left hand use, is twisted in a counterclockwise direction.
 10. A walking aid according to claim 9, wherein a radius of curvature of said handle (1) is between 300 and 320 mm.
 11. A walking aid according to claim 10, wherein the radius of curvature of said handle (1) is 310 mm.
 12. A walking aid according to claim 10, wherein said handle (1) has an oval cross-section.
 13. A walking aid according to claim 10, wherein said handle has a round cross-section.
 14. A walking aid according to claim 10, wherein said handle has a quadratic cross-section with rounded-off corners.
 15. A walking aid according to claim 10, wherein said handle has a triangular cross-section with rounded sides and corners.
 16. A walking aid according to claim 9, wherein the twist of said handle (1) extends over an angular range of about 35° to about 85°.
 17. A walking aid according to claim 9, wherein the angle between said axis of said shaft (2) and said upwardly inclined handle (1) is between 100° and 120°.
 18. A walking aid according to claim 17, wherein the angle between said axis of said shaft (2) and said upwardly inclined handle (1) is 110°. 